1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains generally to plumbing fixtures for therapy baths, or spas and more specifically, to a clamp assembly adapted to interface with venturi fitting for therapy or whirlpool baths for supporting flexible pipe interconnecting such fittings and associated plumbing.
2. PRIOR ART
The general concept of utilizing flexible piping for interconnecting fittings and associated plumbing in a hydrabath, therapy bath or spa is well-known in the art. The advantages of utilizing flexible piping for such whirlpool bath installations are also well known. By way of example, flexible piping makes it possible to simplify installation of such bath systems by permitting pre-assembly of the fittings to the bathtub wall surface before the interconnecting pipes are installed, without later incurring the mechanical interface problems that might otherwise arise with rigid pipes. Unfortunately, the flexible pipes have a tendency to flex due to the sheer effect of gravity along their lengths in between connections to fittings. Accordingly, it is common practice when using flexible piping for a whirlpool bath assembly, to first glue or otherwise secure brackets to the outer tub wall surface intermediate of the fittings and then to use tie straps to secure the flexible piping to these brackets in order to support the flexible piping at locations intermediate of the fittings.
Unfortunately, the attempt to prevent the aforementioned sagging even to at least some degree, by such tie wrapping techniques for supporting flexible pipe in whirlpool bathtub assemblies, is highly disadvantageous. The principal disadvantage is the additional time required by the installing personnel to complete the aforementioned tie wrapping process which adds significantly to the time and labor costs involved in installing a whirlpool bathtub assembly. There are other disadvantages, however. For example, if during installation or following installation, the flexible piping is accidentally pulled from its nominal location, there is at least a significant possibility that the physical relationship between the flexible pipe and the tie wraps will change, thereby preventing the flexible piping from springing back into its nominal location after the inadvertent pulling force is released. Furthermore, the process of tie wrapping leaves a great deal of installation discretion to the installers insofar as the number of brackets and tie wraps, and their relative locations with respect to the flexible piping. As a result, it is highly unlikely that there can be a consistent hanging geometry around the entire circumference of each individual whirlpool bathtub. The differences in hanging geometry in separate tub installations are even more pronounced.